Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Accordion brisket is a phenomenon that occurs when the brisket flat is poorly cooked and the collagen holds the muscle fibers together like a series of tiny rubberbands. When you try to pull the meat apart it should release easily, but when it's undercooked it will spring back like an accordion. The thin slices of beef at Porky's are a shining example of this. They had been trimmed of all fat and crust before they arrived at the table. The plan had been to take them to go, but a heavy rain had just begun so we opened the styrofoam box at a table near the door. Crispy onion rings and sweet beans made for a great combination of sides, but the meat was a disappointment.

Bodacious barbecue is an East Texas chain that gets more accolades that it deserves. I noticed while eating across the region that many joints seemed to emulate the Bodacious style even if they weren't officially affiliated with the chain. Not only is the over-trimmed brisket a signature, but so are the thin and dryish St. Louis style ribs covered in a sweet peppery glaze. The ribs at Porky's had this same profile, but the smoke was nowhere to be found. The meat came easily from the bone, but most of the moisture in the meat was long gone. While slightly better than the brisket, there wasn't enough to make this joint worth returning for.

2 comments:

Cody E
said...

Your review is a little confusing. This post is supposed to be about Porky's, yet you start talking about Bodacious. The Marshall location of Bodacious is worth the visit. Having eaten at several of the Bodacious locations myself, I find the Marshall one to be the best. Yes, they are guilty of trimming too much off the brisket, but you can ask and they will trim/cut it anyway you want. They focus on the customer as we as the food and do a large amount of business as a result. I did work there about 10 years ago when I started college, but I have no affiliation with them. I just think the food is really good. Give them a chance.

DISCLAIMER:

Each joint is judged on the essence of Texas 'cue...sliced brisket and pork ribs. Sausage is only considered if house made. Sauce is good, but good meat needs no adornment to satisfy. Each review can only be based on specific cuts of meat on that particular day. Finally, if the place fries up catfish or serves a caesar salad, then chances are they aren't paying enough attention to the pits, so we mostly steered clear.

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GLOSSARY

Crust - Layer of black goodness around the edges of brisket or ribs that holds excellent flavor.

Meat Caramel - After gratuitous amounts of smoke are applied, and liquid rendered fat has come to the surface of the meat to mix with the applied rub, a chemical rendering takes place that creates a sweet sticky layer on the surface of the meat that clings to the tip of your finger when pulled away from the meat. This is affectionately known as meat snot.

Parboiled - A process in which ribs are boiled before being grilled or smoked. This is what makes meat fall off the bone, and it also leaves good, flavorful fat in the water. It's cheating.Rendered - The process of cooking fat until it literally melts into the meat. Cook it too fast and the fat is absent from the meat creating dryness. If it's not cooked long enough, the fat remains gelatinous and unsavory. There's no need to put well rendered fat aside.Roast-Beefy - Brisket that hasn't been bathed in smoke, but rather tastes as if it was thrown in an oven like any hunk of roast beef. It might be good food, but it's not BBQ.Sauced - Unsolicited BBQ sauce slathered over top of your meat, usually to add what was non-existent flavor in the meat.Smoke Line - Red line around the outside edge of sliced brisket just below the crust that signifies an adequate amount of time in the smoker.Sugar Cookie - Fat that turns to a slightly sweet and crispy flavorful nugget after copius amounts of smoke are applied.